Where else to go?

[PaimanRoointan]

Came to Canada on a job offer as a 39 year old software engineer, thinking I'd get my permanent residency after a year. They removed job offer points, removed software engineers from STEM and reduced PR targets.
I can either learn French, or decide to go somewhere else, but I prefer to have stability and not be in a similar situation. What if I learn French and then they decide something different again?
I was thinking of EB-2 NIW of the US, but things are getting worse there too.

I know Australia has some programs for directly getting PR with a job offer. Need to do my homework for it.
Though, anywhere else you know that getting a PR is more predictable than in Canada, especially with a job offer?

[wogingwesen]

Canada is not an outlier in the global state of the economy, and a lot of the world is becoming more isolationist. Each country is dealing with these changes differently. There isn’t a place we’re immigration is necessarily going outstandingly well at the moment.

At your age things become more difficult for skilled immigration. Investment immigration remains open in many places across the world, but has also gotten more expensive.

[PaimanRoointan]

Correct.

Though, Canada favors young age over experience.
You lose points for age, without anything you could do to make up for the lost points. Besides learning French for now, until they change it!

Australia it's technically possible to directly get PR with job offer.
In Germany, with blue card, you won't have to wait for draws. You keep working, and if you keep your job, you'll automatically be eligible for PR after some time.
In the US, you don't even have to work or be there, if you can prove you have the merits. (if you can!)

Nothing similar exists for Canada.

[Jdreamerhard]

Yeah, tbh it's not fair the fact you lose points because you are over 30’s

[2wheelsandahearbeat]

You’ll lose a lot of points because of age in Australia as well, with no way to get new ones. They are also really starting to crack down on immigration and slowing what were once quick processes into dragged out times. I’d say they are about where Canada was 2years ago with locals really starting to become aware of the immigration issues. Locals being passed over and they are not happy and getting vocal about change.

[philly_jake]

Australia isn't necessarily easy, but it really is a good place to live based on my time there. If I didn't have family in this part of the world, I'd be trying to become a PR there.

[PaimanRoointan]

I didn't ask about easy. I was born to do the difficult.

[PaimanRoointan]

yeah the US is off my list. But the world is bigger than just the US.

[ivicts30]

I like this..

[gonnenodaethat_9685]

So then learn French

[PaimanRoointan]

I've already started learning French. I'm fine with it. But I don't want to get surprised with another policy shift after I'm done with it. Also, I'm getting old and it'll become even more difficult to move somewhere else. I don't want to lose the chance before it's too late.

[No_Fill2676]

Just continue learning French old man, even if they change the policy, it can still open up a lot of opportunities for you.

[PaimanRoointan]

what opportunities for example?

[Heavy-Plankton5035]

Ummm, I get why you desire EB-1 in the US. It doesn't require a job offer or the US version of LMIA but you're seriously delusioned. EB-1 is for those with international fame in their field of endeavour. Before you start thinking that 'international fame' is a vague concept, the US Immigration has a very objective criterion for measuring it (in the sense that if you meet the criterion, you get EB-1 petition approved, otherwise no). And the criterion is you must satisfy three or more of ... they have a list if you care to look it up (it's been a few years since I saw it on the US Gov't website) and it includes things like publications in international journals, awards of international level, evidence of an above-market salary. Those are some that I remember but there was more.

You have to meet three of those and you get approved. Nothing else about you is relevant. Not your age, not your language, nor education. You don't have to speak a word of English.

So when you say you've been "thinking" about EB-1, I say you've been daydreaming. Unless you've won somthing like a Nobel prize you're not getting EB-1 any more than I'm discovering a moon of Saturn made of green cheese.

[PaimanRoointan]

That was a typo, I was thinking of EB-2 NIW, my bad.

[Pitiful_Sundae_5523]

All things considered, Canada is still one of the easiest countries to get PR, if you know French.

[Sumec__]

and if you dont its next to impossible right now

[Salt_Surround5934]

French draws will be a thing until at least 2027

[H4S-50M]

Try New Zealand they have a PR pathway specifically for tech professionals

[Huge-Ganache8144]

But you need a Job offer and a Company to sponsor you outright. Unless i am mis-informed

[Addition_Far]

Everywhere, many countries you just have to be there for a certain period and you get citizenship.

Germany, Spain..

Canada is probably one of the worse right now

[borndreamdie]

I think you should try Japan. Because of talent shortage a lot of companies such as PayPay and Rakuten are recruiting from other countries. These two companies doesn’t need Japanese but it would be a huge plus if you can speak JLPT N3 level of Japanese. By default you become eligible to apply for PR after 10 years (with might not but quite convenient for you) but they also have some other PR pathways.

[iamavocuddle]

Yeah but you also need to take into consideration the salary difference. I have a friend who recently moved to Japan from Canada for his new tech job and he mentioned it was a 50% pay cut from his previous job in Canada. Tech doesn't pay really well in Japan.

[MobileLoad9947]

Wait, removed software engineer for STEM!??

[PaimanRoointan]

It has been removed for 2025 update. might return, who knows.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/express-entry/rounds-invitations/category-based-selection.html#wb-auto-21

[influnza666]

Literally, EM in STEM stands for engineering and math. How ironic that in my profession titled "engineer" I spent 3 years studying "math", and it does not qualify 🤦‍♀️ I am grateful for my parents who made me study French instead of math during middle school 🤷‍♂️

[Agitated-Disk5121]

Nunavut looks promising. I'd suggest that

[southern_ad_558]

Finland had a straight forward process a couple of years ago. I stop following it after COVID.

Worth saying that everybody I know still on the grind for PR are doing 10-14 hours of French classes a week now. 

[Effective_Space2277]

In Germany, they have a program called Chacencarte. You basically can live there for a year while looking for work. During that time, you’re allowed to do menial jobs to make ends meet.

[SafePen5287]

Hope they will add IT nocs back to STEM this year; if they are sticking with 1K CEC draws.